Fire and Ice
by Saint X
Summary: The world burns, yet no one other than the crimson world notices but the underworld also knows and sends its own agent. A Flaming Hunter and an Icy Reaper, what bond does these two have? And what is the real state of the cosmos they live in? YXS and more
1. The Firey Hunter and the Icy Reaper

Well, Standard disclaimers apply- so there!

Well, this is my first story in this category so please bear with me- and the terms i have used are based from wikipedia's SnS article.

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Prologue: The Firey Hunter and the Icy Reaper

Flame Haze- A title given to the top steward in the house of a crimson lord, bound by a contract either by will, force, liking or need. They are bound to hunt wayward denizens of their realm that disturb the balance of the world. He or she is bound to the lord's every will until the day the haze, as the container, is destroyed. 'Manipulator of Objects', 'Ritually- Dressed Chaser', 'Interpreter of Condolence'- are some of the titles bestowed upon these stewards of the flame. But the most powerful, prolific and eccentric of them, is the 'Flame- Haired, Burning- Hot- Eyed Hunter' of the crimson demigod Alastor. Not only can the hunter draw her strength from the flame inside, but also from the burning will of the people around and above all others, from her pure emotions. Yes folks, our hunter is a she... and she's in love- though she does not know it yet- or does she?

Death Agents (_shinigami_) - A designation given to an agent that reaps lives according to the whims of the Muses of Death- Disaster, Plague, Murder, Suicide- these are some of the muses. Death agents have no title and work alone, despite the masses they often take. But ever since the wayward denizens of crimson crossed the line of dimensions, they have created their own hunter to take them down- and she have made a personal mission to hunt those who take the souls of the living wrongly- as well as doing her duties as death, for if the overworld (combined heaven and hell / underworld) does not do its fated duty, the balance and fabric of the world will shatter- even if the overworld itself has no knowledge of what the agent does. The one they call the 'Snow- Haired, Freezing- Cold- Eyed Reaper'- the coldest girl ever to walk the underworld, is the one who is tasked to do this thing. And she is bound until the ice inside of her melts...

These two designates, different in form and function, are seemed not bound, but something binds them from the beginning of their time... and they have never crossed paths in the planes of existence- that is until four years ago.

* * *

Four years ago- Rome, Italy. The current hunter- Nietono no Shana, in her quest to eliminate those who unbalance the world- the _tomogara_ (wayward crimson denizens), manages to land herself in one of the more useful _hougu_ (tools)- called flame trap, set up by someone named Marianne. 

"Now my master will be proud of me..." Marianne sort of gloated as the hunter was unable to move, or say anything for that matter- just a frustrated look on her face.

The hougu was in the middle of a fuusetsu- locked Coliseum, a spell being used to hold it in place while it did the job of containing the haze.

"Now be extinguished, Flame Haze!"

Then suddenly, a sudden drop in temperature occurred- which was rare in that space, the only thing that can make that shift is someone who can control the powers of existence. Then, the normally dark violet / black / crimson color of the space began to change to a somewhat white / grey color- definitely someone who can control that power- but not a haze or tomogara either- something much more diverse than what she was told about.

"What the!" Marianne alarmed as she tried to get more souls from the frozen tourists, as a means to regain control over the lock that she had opened earlier, but ice suddenly covered all of them, preventing her from getting any more. "I could not get more... what is happening? Why you flame haze!"

She managed to lift a stone block and hurl it towards the hunter but then, ice in the form of stalagmites appeared out of the ground, blocking it.

"Ice? This isn't right..." The Flame of Heaven Alastor's voice came from the hunter's _jinki_ (divine vessel), Cocytus- which she had on her neck- as a necklace.

"What you are doing is not right... you even beat me to an old man who's about to die..." a female, somewhat cheerful yet angry voice came in. "And since you have done it, I might as well remove you- you are interrupting or better yet, disrupting my job."

Then suddenly, the hougu pieces that make the trap began to freeze, weakening the trap on the flame haze, allowing her to break free. Then, the voice again spoke.

"Oh dear... and you've even hurt her that much as well. Now I'm really mad... and now you will pay for hurting my sister!"

"Sister?" the hunter wandered, as suddenly from out of nowhere, a flexible arrow of light made its was into the scene and started to attack Marianne, forcing the tomogara to pull out a fan- shaped hougu- Razor Fan.

Then after a few moments, a lock occurred with the stranger and the enemy. The arrow manifested itself into someone with a white trench coat, snow- white hair and freezing cold eyes- in fact, she was like the hunter, only personified in ice and a bit shorter as well. And she was holding a spear that was like a source of blizzards, for strands of cold came out from it.

"Why you flame haze!" Marianne began to become angrier.

The stranger winced at the remark and knocks off the fan off. Then, three interlocking spell insignia appeared and wrapped around the stranger as she raised her spear.

"I'm... not... a... flame... haze!" the icy stranger barked as she swung her spear four times, hitting the tomogara and sort of transferring the spells to it / her in the first three hits and finally a critical hit on the fourth- making the enemy bleed flame. "Vanish!"

Then she swung her spear down, cutting thru Marianne cleanly. She screamed while her body was consumed and a small crystal flew out of the now burning body, flying to wherever or whenever random space or time. After a few moments, she settled infront of our hunter, some distance away- like the traditional standoff or something on that plane. They both look with determined expression, one not yielding to the other- and they do really look almost alike- except that the snow- haired one was full of positive energy. Then, something glints to the hunter and the lord (via the jinki) - making Alastor stir, but unspoken. Then, that same snow- haired, freezing- cold- eyed one placed a crystal at her feet, instantly glowing after her hands left it, doing what a haze does after each battle, repair damage if there was any- noted though, there were no torches being created- she was no flame haze, like she said earlier. Then the hunter manages to ask something.

"Who are you? You are no flame haze and yet..."

"You take care of the rest now. And don't thank me for what I've done- I'm just doing my job. And I don't need any thanks or recognition from you- only being able to do one thing with you- if I'm able to do it, then I'm satisfied... As long as I can finally call you my sister, then I'm happy..."

"Sister?"

"Well then, until we meet again sister..." the cold one spoke as the fuusetsu lock began to shift back to its original color, with her vanishing.

Misaki city- Sakai residence, current time.

Shana woke up feeling sweaty and wondering. They say that the only time a flame haze dreams is when they receive premonitions- but this was a recollection rather than a premonition.

"What was that all about?" she thought as she panted hard.

In the meantime, Alastor- who was on the bedside table was stirring, but unspoken.

We now turn to Misaki city public hospital #1, where a snow white- haired, freezing- cold- eyed girl with a glowingwhite trench coat and an icy spear on her hands has just finished her job for the day, reaping out three old people. She walked out of the hospital, the white glow enveloping her, a spell to keep her hidden from the eyes of world.

"I don't like taking children." She spoke to herself as she began to vanish- even though she was already unseen. "Well, I'll just let the old ones be for a while again..."

_I can feel your heart in motion, _

_Deep down in your mind and passion._

"Sister..." she then thought. "We shall meet again."

_Life goes on and on, _

_We love each other in the sadness of time...

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_

Well, that goes for the first chapter of this trial fic. And unlike other anime category writers, i just write on, regardless of reviews. As you can note, the 'song' at the end is 'Life Goes On' from gundam seed destiny- which kept repeating over and over as i imgaine the closing scene of this chapter. 


	2. Mediato I: Re Ignition

Mediato I: Re-Ignition

The world we live in is much stranger than most of us believe. There had been people who believed that an alternate world exists right within ours- and they were right. The events that had transpired a month ago were happening in plain sight and yet, they were not seen, unfelt, unheard, unknown to all but to only a few. The city we are now setting our sights to is the Honored and Divine City of Misaki (I just made that full name up- you can just call it Misaki City for all you care) - named not just for the famous cape (_misaki_ in Japanese), but also after a great person- whose identity shall never be known. This city had been host to a number of strange, radical yet unheard to all but to a few events that almost made the balance of the world unstable. Yes folks, the city almost became a pool overflowing with power thirty days ago, and it was a hard task draining it, even invoking a crimson lord in the process. But the most expected unexpected event had occurred, for the first time in history, the haze that housed the Flame of Heaven survived the ultimate summoning sacrifice- _Tenpa Jousai_. And so the world returned to the normal state of life- well after being re- tuned by the Ritually- Dressed Chaser Khamshin and his medium Kasumi Yoshida- now given the title 'Image of Life'.

Now we turn to the civil lives of seven students of the Misaki City Municipal High School, which was now well starting into the second term of classes for the year. Ogata had tuned herself more on the feminine side after her confession at the festival, especially when Eita Tanaka is near. Coincidentally, Eita and his partner Keisaku- now given the titles 'Guides of Devastation 1 & 2' (or simply henchman 1 or 2), are still unable to swing or even pull out Blutsauger, which the Interpreter of Condolence, Marjorie Doe (Margery Daw in the anime subs- I may use this term as well) had managed to salvage after the battle at the festival- though they are still trying hard, which the record now is 98cm. The Image of Life, Kasumi Yoshida and the Flame- Haired, Burning- Hot- Eyed Hunter, Shana are still in a state of war over 'Reiji Maigo' Yuuji Sakai- the so called 'second round' that Kasumi had pointed out at the start of the term. Coincidentally, competition between Yuuji and his friend Ike had begun to show- well what do you expect after Ike announcing his intention to move?

Well, Shana is still the melon bread loving girl who says "shut up" on a whim- and her relationship with Yuuji has advanced a bit, for during the last leg of their journey from school- each day, they would hold hands (oh how sweet)- but only for a moment though. And during morning training, Shana would send Yuuji away for long periods with Alastor, while she herself engaged in secret lessons with Yuuji's mother Chigusa.

"Why does it have to be six miles and a stop to buy some things?" Yuuji asked as he jogged along- since his mother made him do an errand while he was at it with the regimen Shana had given him.

"Shut up... Less talk, more jogging..." Alastor replied from Shana's necklace worn on him- well after being exposed to media- namely TV many times, he had liked some of the quotes being said.

"But this is strange, Shana sending me out alone to train many times already- what does she do everyday anyway?"

"Hmm... that is strange. But I doubt that it is harmful..."

At that moment, Shana burnt a finger by accidentally touching a hot pan- she spaced out at that moment. Chigusa was alarmed and rushed quickly to tend to her.

"Are you okay Shana? (Honorific: Shana-chan)" Chigusa asked as she applied burn balm and a bandage strip on the burned area- she had those on hand in her apron pockets just in case- the last one a week ago was a slight cut. "Anything bothering you?"

"Umm..." Shana could only say.

"Is it about Yuuji? (Honorific: Yu- chan)"

"Um... not really. It's something else..."

"A dream then?"

"Yeah..."

"Can you tell me then, or am I too probing?"

"No, not at all- I'll tell you then. I've never had any real dreams before so this one is really strange. I was in some sort of trap when suddenly, someone helped me. And when we finally saw each other, it seemed that I was looking at myself- though 'she' was younger and was more like ice. And what really made me wonder is what she said to me- 'Sister'."

Chigusa fell silent for a while and then...

"That kind of dream huh? Well then, that may mean one thing- do you have any siblings or relatives?"

"As far as Wilhelmina told me, I have none..."

"Oh really... that must be hard on you. Did you ask Arasu Toru- san (note: same pronunciation as Alastor- but somehow Chigusa messes it up- somehow _Arasu toru _roughlymeans 'to take / make destruction'- Shana told Chigusa that he was in the demolitions business 15 days ago- quite fitting for a lord that can destroy anything on a whim if summoned via tenpa jousai) then?"

"I have not asked him... he often says that it's better to keep things hidden until the right time."

"Maybe now is the right time to ask..."

At that moment Yuuji bumps into someone wearing a white shirt and knee- length short combo. On the shirt were the characters for _shinigami_ and on her baseball cap were the words 'Reaper'. Yuuji stops as he saw the hair and finally, the face of the person that he bumped. He was shocked, for the person that he saw was almost like Shana in normal life, only a bit younger- nine months estimate- and full of positive energy. The girl notices him and stares at him seriously.

"What are you looking at boy?" she then asked in a different voice from Shana- she definitely was not her.

"Umm... err... umm..." Yuuji could only stammer.

"Well then, stop doing that!" the girl then spoke, taking off her cap and slapping him with it.

She then turns around and walks away, but not before glinting something on her neck- a necklace. It made Alastor stir and after she was gone, made him verbally express his wonderment.

"Hmm... could it be?" the asked just loud enough for Yuuji to hear.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing... carry on!" the lord replied and then thought. "I guess the time is right."

Now we turn to the girl that Yuuji bumped into earlier, who was sitting now at a park bench.

"Say Chandra (ref: Say- Ne), did you feel what I felt from that boy?" she began to speak softly at the air in front of her.

Silence reigned for a while and then, the necklace she had- similar in style as Alastor's vessel- but with a diamond and silver framework and 'wings', began to stir- and finally replied, in a deep woman's voice.

"Of course... and that was the Reiji Maigo..."

"We have no business with it anyway- or rather, it's not our business anyway- we don't play with fire you know."

"You are right on that..."

"Say Chandra, do you think I can find my flame- haired, burning- hot- eyed sister again?"

"Of course... as long as you did your best and hoped as well- and I have a feeling."

"What feeling?"

"That the flame of heaven is here... maybe we could ask him- after all, she is a flame haze."

An hour later- on approach to school. Yuuji notes Shana's bandaged right pointer finger. Well to point out the situation for this month, a bit of explaining is in order. Ever since the festival, Shana had been welling up on affection- and it was evident on the way she cooked- improving drastically. Well on all the days that can occur- it happened- on the day Yoshida called in sick- 20 days ago, Shana moved in, presenting Yuuji with a carefully prepared lunchbox- and he loved it, since it was the first time he ever saw Shana cook or tasted her cooking for that matter.

"Um..." Yuuji spoke, and pointed out the finger.

"It's not your business..."

"But I'm looking forward to eating your lunch again... it's been what, two weeks?"

Shana blushed a bit, but then snapped her usual counter- yes, the classic triple "shut up" line.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

And so classes begin for that day- and since the start of the second tern, Shana- AKA Yukari Hirai was no longer showing her anti- teacher ways often- she managed to surprise everyone by saying apologies to certain teachers- but still saying remarks to others- the latest in the line was a fashion remark. Then, lunch bell came in- and chaos followed three minutes later.

"Umm..." Yuuji could only stammer as both Shana and Kasumi presented their lunchboxes.

The two girls look at each other, sparks flying between them.

"I will not lose to you Shana..." Kasumi thought.

"I won't lose- I never lose..." Shana thought as well.

"Whoa... look at that, Hirai's at it again..." one of the male classmates stirs up the atmosphere. "The last one was two weeks ago... and now this?"

The other males roared as they went near the two girls- Sakai was fast becoming the most hated boy in class, for two of their finest maidens were after him- the pure and innocently cute Yoshida and the cynical and 'devilishly' cute Hirai- most of the boys were rooting for Hirai though- somehow, they managed to find something cute in her. Then, one of the males snaps.

"Sakai, if you're not going to eat, then I'll take the boxes instead!"

That was the cue for all but 4 boys in the classroom to start gunning for both Shana's and Kasumi's lunchboxes. And as that area began a game of 'try to grab the lunchbox', Shana and Kasumi were pulled from the scene by Ike and Yuuji, with the other two- Keisaku and Eita, trying to put things down before any teachers hear or show up for that matter. And without Kasumi and Ike noting, Shana pulled Yuuji from the room and on towards the roof.

"Shana, easy there and don't pull my shirt..." Yuuji complained as they finally stopped.

"Here..." the haze spoke shyly, taking out a red lunchbox- hers. "Since they have begun to fight over yours..."

"How about you?"

Shana made no reply- and that made the boy note, because there was not even a single pack of melon bread near her person- and she did not buy a single one- and the bread tray in the school cafeteria dedicated to that particular bread was full- the staff was expecting her to buy at least five.

"Well then, I guess I have to make measures then..." Yuuji finally spoke, opening the lunchbox.

A few moments later, with their backs on the cool wall, they began to eat the shared lunch- which Yuuji had carefully parted equally up to the last rice grain.

"Say Shana..." Yuuji began to ask. "Since when did you learn to cook?"

"It's not your business..."

"But since you're this good- I should have asked for it a long time ago... your cooking."

Shana smiled a bit at that remark- Yuuji can say the sweetest things- the only other sweet thing that can rival them is none other than a piece of melon bread- all crunchy on the outside and fluffy-soft on the inside.

"Anything wrong?" Yuuji then asked, seeing the haze spacing out.

"Shana..." Alastor then spoke.

"It's a dream..."

"A dream? This means something..." the crimson lord replied.

"Why is it?" Yuuji asked suit.

"The only time a flame haze dreams is when something is about to happen- either a premonition or a recollective dream can occur. If only 'she' were here..."

"'She'?" both Shana and Yuuji wondered.

"One of the most powerful flame hazes to have ever walked- the haze under the 'Mirror of Introspection'- Amaterasu... the 'Interpreter of Dreams'. She has the power of clairvoyance and can find the meanings of dreams... it's been centuries since I last saw her. I have forgotten her name and she might have died and had passed on the title to someone else- or she has hidden her person in someone else. As far as I know, she or he might be anywhere, or anyone..."

Both the haze and mistes were silent- it was a long speech from Alastor himself. Back in the Sakai residence, Chigusa was reading the newspaper and on her face was one item that was not seen before- a pair of bottom- rimmed glasses.

"I guess the time is right huh?" she thought as she read on.

Back in school...

"What was your dream about then?" Yuuji managed to ask.

"Well... I was in some sort of trap when suddenly, someone helped me. And when we finally saw each other, it seemed that I was looking at myself- though 'she' was younger and was more like ice. And what really made me wonder is what she said to me- 'Sister'. I already told your mother about this and she told me to ask you Alastor..."

"Hmm... If I remember, that was four years ago if I can remember. She was no flame haze and she was rather like... death- a death agent..."

"Death agent? You mean the grim reaper?" Yuuji again asked- please pardon his inquisitive nature- he _was_ after all, a human.

"In this world, there are grim reapers... not one." Shana replied. "They are the ones responsible for weeding out humans by way of death... but since the tomogara crossed the line of worlds, they have been angry..."

"If they are angry, they could have..."

"Yes, and that even four years ago was one of those events- the _shinigami_ have been taking action- though its directed at the tomogara that also consume their targets."

Now we turn our sights to the girl that Yuuji bumped into earlier. She was now wearing a white trench coat and matching underclothing and she was surrounded by a white glow with her hair in the same color and her somehow black eyes turned into a freezing blue color. That glow served a purpose- keeping her from being seen from normal humans. She did not even mind the dense human traffic or vehicular traffic as she passed by Misaki City's main artery, for if someone or something passed, she would be like a ghost and simply pass thru.

"Say Chandra, there are sure a lot of torches here..."

"Of course- you've heard the news... and speaking of which, I have just found out that the flame- haired, burning- hot- eyed flame haze is here in this city... she may be the person you seek..."

"We'll still ask the flame of heaven for that..."

"Maybe... if we manage to run into him. And I've sensed two more presences here... the Fang of Devastation Marcosius and... This can't be her..." the pendant exclaimed, making the girl note.

"What is it?"

"This is the Mirror of Introspection- Amaterasu I'm feeling... and wait... do you feel that?" Chandra replied and then asked as a new presence came in.

"Of course- an evil intent..." the shinigami replied as she floated above the ground. "If that eats any elderly people, I will personally kill it!"

At this time it was now after dismissal- no Yoshida run-ins today, for Ike asked her if he could take her home- she had no choice for Yuuji and Shana were on cleaning duty. Well, this is day 12 of the 'amazing Hirai volunteer marathon'- and as the name states, Shana AKA Yukari had been going out of her way as well- Yuuji did not have a choice and either waited for her or helped her- what occurred was more of the latter. As newly- elected class president for the term, Shana was directing things while doing her own- and some things involved Yuuji at one time or the other- and yes, she needed help from the mistes regarding her new role in class- she was voted by popular choice.

"Not there... a bit to the left..." Shana directed him as he pushed the front table- they were trying a new configuration. "No... A bit to the right- no! Just a bit... no! Pull it back!"

"Shana, don't push me too hard..." the boy could only protest as she pushed him along with the table.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Just follow and less whining!"

"But Shana..." Yuuji spoke and managed to get the attention of the girl- and he then pointed to the wall- which the table could travel no further without being tossed outside- which was five inches away, separated by concrete.

Shana only shot him a somehow frustrated look. Then half an hour later, they were now walking home- or so it seemed, for Yuuji recognized the route- it was towards the apartment complex where the original Yukari Hirai lived. They both stop at the door of the Hirai residence and the girl looks at him shyly.

"But I'm happy..." Shana spoke, showing that small smile. "And yes, same things tomorrow..."

"Of course... and I'll try to fetch you early..." the boy suddenly replied, with a spontaneity on the words.

"Okay... I'll be looking forward to it."

Later at his house...

"What was I saying?" Yuuji thought. "Shana's the one who usually comes early..."

"Ah Yuuji (honorific: Yu- chan), welcome home... eh? Why is Shana not with you?"

"She said that she'll be doing something..."

"I see... and I wanted to invite her to dinner."

Hirai residence, Shana arrived to a cleaning Wilhelmina. Always the busybody and somehow addicted to cleaning and arranging things, even though she has no know-how on cooking- evident in the past, always relying on the microwave or any form cooking familiar to time- strapped, bachelor types. And yes, her newest liked food item is the simple cup noodle or its nearest relative the ramen bowl.

"Say Wilhelmina, up to when are you staying here?" she asked her mentor and fellow flame haze- the 'manipulator of objects' Wilhelmina Carmel.

"Undetermined..." the female voice of her lord, the 'Illusionist Crown' Tiamat came in. "New Presence..."

"It seems that there's a strange presence in this city... can you feel it?"

"I can... and I think that there's a relation to what I had dreamt."

"Dream?" Wilhelmina asked.

"Premonition..." Tiamat followed.

"As flame haze, the dreams we have are precognitive..."

"Accurate..." Tiamat again came in as Wilhelmina paused, making the maid- dressed haze rap the hairband- Tiamat's vessel Persona.

"As I was saying... the only time a flame haze dreams is when something important will occur in the near future..." Wilhelmina thought as she remembered what happened centuries ago- Mathilde's words before her death via tenpa jousai.

"Well, then there is a possibility that I will meet that person again..." Shana then thought. "But could it be, a flame haze of ice?"

Next day- Saturday, 6AM. Yuuji woke up to the pushing of his mom.

"Wake up sleepyhead... you still have something to do you know..."

"Ugh... right... I still have to fetch Shana..." Yuuji sleepily spoke.

45 minutes later, he was well on his way towards Shana's flat. Then, as he rounded a corner we pan our cameras at the other end of the street, where the girl that Shana bumped into Yuuji yesterday was rounding the same corner and apparently, traveling towards him.

"Have to hurry!" Yuuji said to himself as he began to quicken his pace.

"I need to get to the other bakery before they run out of bread!" the girl thought as she began to run. "Darn that bakery, they just have to run out of that bread as a stepped in..." she continued to grumble, not noting that someone was fast approaching her- as did the boy.

Then, it happens- yes folks, Yuuji again bumps into the same girl twice. This time the force now knocks the girl off her feet and lands her on the floor- sitting.

"Aww..." she spoke as she stood up and rubbed her sore behind. "What was- you again!"

"Um... I'm sorry, really!"

"Of all the people on earth..." she mumbled as she stood up and turned around away from him, just enough for the boy to hear. "And of all things... a torch..."

"Hey... what did you just... say?" Yuuji tried to ask, but the girl was already gone and had rounded a corner.

Later at the Hirai flat...

"You're late!" Shana softly barked as she was waiting outside of her door, with the boy running and panting.

"I'm sorry, I bumped into a lot of people on the way... and there was this girl..."

Yuuji stopped, for Shana's face was no longer getting brighter at the fact that he came.

"And it isn't Kasumi Yoshida either huh?" Shana puffed.

"No it was not Yoshida! (Honorific: Yoshida- san)" Yuuji replied. "It was- she was a really strange girl..."

"Strange huh? Well then, as long as it's not Kasumi Yoshida..."

"What's with you and Yoshida lately anyways?"

"Shut up..."

"I really wanted to know... it's as if..."

"Shut up..."

"But Shana..."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! It's none of your business..."

Now we turn to the main crossing in the city, and to a man in black business attire. Compared to the other people around him, he was walking slowly, and the crossing lights patiently waited for the people to cross safely- which usually took about 120 seconds. But the time passed but still he was now standing- earning the ire of the drivers- for the crossing lights were still on.

"Hey are you deaf or something? Move out of our way!" one yelled.

"Get out of the way, you're making me late for work!" another honked.

"Would anyone help this guy?" a female now called, attracting the attention of a policeman.

Quickly, the policeman headed to where the man was. And as soon as he got there, the man took out a book and looked at the sky.

"Hey is there something..."

"Hey... do you exist right now?" the sharply- dressed man began to ask.

At this point in time, the girl that Yuuji bumped into- or that bumped into Yuuji, was just finishing the last of her bread when she feels something.

"This is..." she softly spoke, just loud enough for her necklace to hear.

"Someone has begun to move... and crossed the line."

Back at the crossing...

"Hey... are you feeling..."

"I see... you have no awareness of your own life or existence huh? Well then..." the man replied. "I'll take yours and everyone else's then... because, I don't want to simply vanish- no one wants to... I want to exist..."

"Hey... are you really..."

"I will exist..." the man simply spoke and opened the book, and in an instant, the crossing and five blocks around it were locked in a fuusetsu- it was instantly sensed of course, for something that big was not easily hidden. Kasumi did not bother to go- she was no flame haze, Margery sensed it too, but was happily lazy and too drunk to act- so she did not say it to her two henchmen.

Quickly, Yuuji and Shana began to run from the apartment block towards the affected area.

"Now what?" Shana could only ask.

"A Rinne (Minion)?" Yuuji followed.

"I couldn't tell... it seems to be both tomogara and a rinne... it seems to be mixed up."

Back at the sealed space...

"Now... with your help, I will continue to not just live, but to exist as well..." the man spoke as he flipped the pages of his book.

He then began to utter a very cryptic message if someone heard it, the language was Latin.

"_Permissum vestri ago exsisto mei_!" was the last line- "let your lives be mine".

Then the people around him began to sort of turn into smoke and the vapor that came out began to make its way into the folds of the book. Then as expected with consuming powers of existence, the people turned into flame and were finally consumed, leaving nothing.

"Yes, yes, yes! More... more... more..." he could only say as his book consumed more.

Then, he sees not just one, but two figures moving in the lock- that only meant one other thing.

"I see... I won't let you destroy me..." he sneered as he flipped the book's pages. "Take this, flame haze!"

He swung his hand and unleashed a rain of crystals towards the now approaching Shana and Yuuji.

"Shana!" Yuuji alerted and split up with her to evade the shots.

The shots were evaded, and the flame haze quickly dashed towards the enemy, unsheathing her sword. She attempted to bring her weapon down to bear but was blocked by some sort of barrier- invisible to any form of sight. Milliseconds later, she was repulsed by the same block, sending her skidding but not fallen.

"Oh my... I never expected that someone will respond that quickly- and of all people, the flame- haired, red- hot- eyed hunter... what was your name again? Ahh yes, Shana." The sharply dressed denizen spoke, as he 'read' from his book. "Allow me to introduce myself; since I have never been heard by any of you- in fact, this is the first time meeting a haze. I am Luchio, the 'Crystal Librarian'..."

"'Crystal Librarian'?" Alastor alarmed.

"We have never heard of that name before..." Shana replied, just as Yuuji came in scene. "Who are you?"

"I'm what you hazes call... ummm..." Luchio spoke, gingerly flipping the book's pages. "Ahh here it is- a tomogara... But, I'm not from where you expect it- I'm not from your so called crimson world... in fact; I'm from the colored one..."

"No way..." Alastor again alarmed. "A human!"

"Heh... I have no time for you anymore, since I have wasted my time talking to you. Now die, enforcers of balance!"

Luchio therefore unleashed a rain of sharp crystals upon the two, with the flame haze evading as she flew towards him and Yuuji somehow blowing up whatever came his way using the power he inherited from the treasure inside of him. Shana quickly drew on her sword but she was not fast enough for the librarian as he blocked with his book. In the meantime, we turn to the far end of the locked space, where our shinigami was walking amongst the frozen mortals, her body glowing minutely as she adjusted into the feeling of the sealed space around her.

"This is really horrible... to see this again makes me scared..."

"But that's life..." her necklace, now identified as Chandra, replied.

Then she feels a pulse run thru her- a...

"This couldn't be... a blood pulse- the same one four years ago... she's here..."

"Are you sure of what you are feeling..." Chandra again asked, finally saying one name that she has not used in years. "...Kanna?"

"I'm sure of it- no doubt about it; it is her- that flaming sibling of mine that you've told me about... and she's hurt."

What Kanna said was true, for Shana was cut all over by the flying crystals.

"Yuuji, don't come near me!" she barked as she saw him trying to get near.

"There's no way I'm going to leave you hurt!" Yuuji countered; running and attracting the librarian's attention.

"Eh... how heroic... but pitiful nonetheless... eat this!" Luchio spoke, unleashing a rain of crystals towards the mistes.

"I'm not letting you hurt Shana!" Yuuji yelling, gathering power in his hands and projected an energy ball towards the crystals, shattering them and hitting the crystal librarian square, but weakening Yuuji as well- it was a powerful shot.

"Yuuji!" Shana alarmed as she went towards him- she had a reason to worry, for he was somehow translucent already.

"Nice shot... you really made me hurt there..." Luchio spoke somewhat angrily as he stood up. "But now as I wish your peaceful disappearance... now I wish for your painful deaths!"

With a flip of a page, he turned an old man into flame and let the power of existence flow and gather towards his cupped hand, with his left hand holding a book, with him mumbling something in Latin.

"Now... you shall die!" he then barked, projecting the huge energy ball towards them- Shana standing up to try and block.

It seemed hopeless halfway when suddenly...

"I've had enough of this!" a voice, vaguely familiar to Shana yelled out.

Just as the ball was about to hit the flame haze, someone blocks her view- a girl wearing a white trench coat, having Shana- length and styled white hair and a frosty spear on her hands. The shot hits the blocking spear and instantly turns into a crystal, which the newcomer grabbed quickly and stuffed into her pocket. With a swoosh, she lowered her spear and looks at Shana, hinting at her and somehow at Yuuji.

"No way... you're..." Alastor alarmed.

"You're from four years ago..." Shana followed.

"You're that strange girl..." Yuuji ended.

"Such a lucky time to find you here... and that boy as well... this must be fate..." the girl identified as Kanna spoke. "Are you okay sister?"

_Life goes on... goes on..._


End file.
